Christian Leadership
By Head of School Michael Dewey
What does it mean to be a leader? More specifically, what does Evergreen Christian School mean when we say that we are a school that focuses on preparing leaders? Given the significant role leadership plays in our school’s mission statement, it is important that we have a clear understanding of just what it entails. We must not see leadership solely through the lens of what society deems a leader to be. Christian leadership is necessarily different. Just as importantly, Christian leadership is exactly what our world needs.
When it comes to defining what it means to raise up the next generation of Christian leaders, we must take our cue from Christ himself. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:6, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” While not every student that graduates from ECS will go on to be a leader in the sense that they become the president of a corporation, the pastor of a church, or even a member of Congress, each one is called to be a moral and spiritual leader wherever they are called to serve. First and foremost, a Christian leader is the one who has given her life to Christ, letting him live his life through her. This means that Christian leadership is decidedly servant leadership. Just as Christ came to seek and serve, so also are all Christians called to do the same—even if they are not considered a leader from the world’s perspective.
Robert Quinn, a professor at the University of Michigan, has pointed out that the European root word for leadership means “to go forth and die.” Building on this, Christian authors Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck write in their book, Designed to Lead, “In an age where leadership is often used to build self, to build platform, to build job security, to build wealth, and to build power, Christian leadership is about giving one’s self away to God’s design and destiny for mankind for His glory in Christ alone.” In essence, Christian leadership is each of us dying to self so that Christ may live his life through us. This is what Paul means in Galatians 2:20 when he says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.”
Some of our students will never feel comfortable speaking up about their faith or speaking out against the falsehoods rampant within our society. We understand that. God has given each of them unique skills and talents that must be cultivated appropriately to ensure they become all God wants them to be. But we would do well to recall that scripture is replete with examples of those who were not good communicators, not impressive in stature, not from a heritage of privilege, that were called by God to lead in some unique way. It seems that when God chooses to use someone to impact the world around them, he looks more to depth of faith and goodness of heart than anything else. That is the foundation of what it truly means to be a Christian leader, and that is what we are committed to building in each student entrusted to our care.
I want to leave you with the words of one of our students who shared with me his experience at the most recent March for Life in Washington, D.C. “As believers we are called not simply to profess our beliefs, but to take steps towards exercising them. So, when some friends started organizing a group to go to the march, I saw an opportunity to actually take time out of my day and do something small, but something concrete in support of my convictions” (Matthew M., Class of 2025). While his step may well have been small, it reflects the reality that every Christian is called to put their faith into action, and that is the essence of Christian leadership.
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB 1995.